Dear Nadya #3

If it’s Monday, it must be that day of the week when I struggle to write a letter to the most politically aware person in the entire Russian nation, without saying anything overtly political! Ironically, writing a letter to Nadezhda Tolokonnikova / Наде́жда Толоко́нникова is kind of like chatting at a Blaylock family party. With the Blaylocks, I work hard to keep the conversation superficial, because I know if we let it drift over to anything that really matters, it’s going to turn into an ideological screaming match. With an extraordinary patriot like Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, it’s the opposite. I yearn to say how humbled I am by her vision and courage. Unfortunately, The State is listening. Or reading. And The State doesn’t like political thoughts. Doesn’t allow them to be shared with prisoners.

If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, who would you pick?

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova.

I’m writing a letter to the most compelling person in the world. And making banal chit chat. Like it’s just another family dinner.

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Patriot

Meanwhile Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is starting a prison hunger strike today. Earlier this year Maria Alyokhina’s hunger strike ended after 11 days. Will Tolokonnikova’s be 11 days? Or less? Or will she not survive prison in Mordovia? My tears are trivial compared to how Tolokonnikova, or Aaron Swartz, or Chelsea Manning, have paid for their courage in 2013. Still. I have cried more days of 2013 than any other year of my life. High school was easy compared to geopolitics.

Oh well, time to write mindless chit-chat that might get past the prison censors. Her life hangs in the balance and I write chit-chat vapid enough that they’d let her read it. You know, if they give her mail at all.

Your colleagues and friends at English PEN would like to take this opportunity to send you their very best wishes.

How has your week been? Last week my students did a large group photography project. They each took pictures on the same day. In this way we could see a portrait of all of us. A sort of group portrait. Of the times of our day. This week they’re creating individual self-portraits. They will put themselves in a landscape. I think some of them will be very creative. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do.

About a week ago I got a small device called a “Fitbit.” It’s a little clip on thing that you can wear on your pants or blouse. It has an accelerometer. It measures your daily activity. How many steps you take. They have a website and you can compare with your friends. My friend Katie Vizenor and I have been comparing our steps. So far I have taken more steps than Katie! Katie is jealous! I think Katie works out more than me. But I have a “treadmill desk.” When I work on the computer, I also walk at the same time. So I walk a lot of steps that way. Katie probably gets more exercise than me. But she thinks I do more than her. All the steps add up! It is nice to have a step counter. And friends also walking. It reminds you to keep moving. We do so much computer work these days! You really have to remember to move. That’s why I think the treadmill desk is a great invention.

Ok, it must be time to bore you with another ancient history photograph. Again it is from my former dance career. This time there is no “almost boyfriend” in the photo. It’s just me. From 1996. It was taken at Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague. We were working on a piece based on the life of Anne Frank. Even though I’m the only one in this picture, there were 7 of us in the piece. The movement was lyrical and beautiful. Thinking about someone so young and full of promise was bittersweet. But I think by dancing it gave us a way to express those feelings. I do like the work that I do now, but looking back those were pretty good times too.

I hope you have a good week Nadezhda. I am looking forward to my activities this week. I will write to you again next Monday.

Warm Regards,

Vanessa Anne Blaylock

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Vanessa Blaylock, The Hague, 1996.

A letter from Vanessa Blaylock to Nadezhda Tolokonnikova:from Google Translate:

Your colleagues and friends in the English PEN would like to take this opportunity to send you my best wishes.

How has your week been? Last week, my students have done a great project group photos . Each of them took off in the same day. Thus, we can see a portrait of all of us. Kind of group portrait. Of the times of the day . This week, they create individual portraits. They put themselves in the landscape. I think some of them are very creative . I’m looking forward to seeing what they do.

About a week ago I received a small device called a “Fitbit”. It’s a little clip on things that can be worn on pants or blouse. It has an accelerometer . It measures your daily activities . How many steps you take. They have a website, and you can compare with your friends. My friend Katie Vizenor and I compared our steps . Until now, I have taken more action than Katie ! Katie is jealous ! I think that Katie works more than me. But I have a ” treadmill desk. ” When I work on the computer, I’ll go at the same time . So I walk a lot of steps so . Katie probably gets more exercise than I do. But she thinks I ‘m doing more than her . All the steps add up! It’s nice to have a step counter. And friends are walking. It reminds you to move on. We do so much work on the computer these days! You really have to remember to move. That’s why I think that the treadmill desk is a great invention .

Well , this should be the time to bore you with another ancient history of photography . Again from my former dance career . At this time there is no ” almost one ” in the photo. It’s only me . Since 1996 . It was taken on the Koninklijk Conservatory in The Hague. We have been working on a piece based on the life of Anne Frank . Even if I’m the only one in this picture, there were 7 of us in the unit. The movement was lyrical and beautiful. Thinking of someone so young and full of promise, was bittersweet . But I think the dancing, it gave us a way to express these feelings. I like the job I ‘m doing right now , but looking back it was pretty good times too.

I hope you have a good week of Hope . I look forward to my work this week. I will write to you again next Monday.